The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-16
THE CASE OF CAPTAIN MACY

A Washington dispatch states that the Vet
eran Rights Union have determined to make
test case of the removal of Capt. W. w.
Macy, from position in the Pension Office,
in violation of law, and have filed charges and
specifications to that effect with Senator Ed
munds of the Judiciary committee. Captain
Macy is an old Indiana soldier, and besides
ures of local interest. The policy of the gov
eminent, as declared by law and firmly settled
by Republican administrations, is to give the
preference, other things being equal to dis
to office and retaining them when a reduction
of force is necessary. Section 1854, Revised
Statutes, u. S., says:
"Persons honorably discharged from the
military or naval service by reason of disabil-
ity resulting from wounds or sickness incurred
in the line of duty shall be preferred for ap-
pointments to civil offices, provided they are
found to possess the business capacity neces-
sary for the proper discharge of the duties Of
such Offices"
Another law, enacted in 1876, provides that
s'in making any reduction of force in any of
the executive departments, the head of such
department shall retain those persons who
may be equally qualified who have been hon.
orably discharged from the military naval
service of the United States" These provis-
ions of law were enacted for the purpose of
giving the preference to ex-Union soldiers
and protecting those in office, and were so con-
strued by Republican administrations.
Capt. W. W. Macy, of Winchester, Ind,
has the following military record He enlisted
as private in Company c, Nineteenth In
diana Volunteers, July 10, 1861, and was
mustered out as captain of Company A,
Twentieth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, to
been consolidated. He served with the ia
nous sIron Brigade" to date Of the above
consolidation, Oct. 1e, 1864, and continuously
with the army of the Potomac from its organ
ization in 1861, to its disarmament in 1865,
participating in all it's campaigns. He re-
ceived gunshot wounds of the head at the
battles of Antietam and Gettysburg, and was
for good solderly conduct in camp and on
field of battle promoted through all the grades
to that of captaincy. At the battle of Get
tysburg, July 1, 1868, when, after the captain
of the company and twenty eight out of
thirty-five men taken into action had been
killed or wounded and the line broken and
forced back by a murderous flank fire, the
left wing of the regiment, which was also the
left of the corps. and army then engaged,
being out-fanked and doubled hack and the
color bearers and guards having all been cut
down, the colors going down in their midst,
the enemy seeing their advantage started
forward with yell. In face of the advancing
rebel line, Lieutenant Macy, seeing the flag
was about to fall into the enemy's hands, ran
back to where the line of battle had been and
rescued the flag from capture, and while
between the two battle lines in company with
Lieut. Crockett Il. East, in attempting to furl
the flag and tassels about the staff, Lieutenant
East was killed, falling across the flag and
staff, requiring the removal of his body while
he was dying in order to be able to bear off
the flag to where the regiment had taken up
new line of battle. Lieutenant Macy res
cued the flag
at the close of the war, Captain Macy was